Barneys Debuts Perfect Pairs with Francesco Russo of Sergio Rossi

It was an evening filled with the sparkly and the brand new. Last night, Barneys New York and Francesco Russo, Creative Director of Sergio Rossi, hosted cocktails to celebrate the Sergio Rossi Fall 2012 Collection and the new shoe floor at the flagship on Madison Avenue. In celebration of the new salon, Barneys has launched the Perfect Pairs campaign, which supports the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and its Americans for Marriage Equality Program.

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The shopping mecca spans the newly renovated fifth floor, a 22-000 square foot space stocked with the must-have shoes of the season. Sergio Rossi's collection, filled with dangerously high stilettos and exotic skins, ranging from alligator to stingray to fox fur, was prominently displayed in the open space. Ever the gracious host, Russo sketched shoes for guests who purchased a pair. "I am very pleased to be the first designer of the reopening of this great place that I think will become a temple for the shoes here in New York," he said.

Notable guests included Simon Doonan, Janet Montgomery of Black Swan fame and Rachel Chandler-Guinness, who was charged with the task of 'Intagramming' the event. Barneys — always one to stay ahead of the social media curve — set up an Instagram sticker-station. Attendees were asked to post photos with the hashtag #perfectpairs, and were rewarded with a printout of their photo. It was a fitting concept that complimented Barneys' shiny new shoe pad — glossy, modern and very now.